444 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



considerably changed. The high cliffs before seen at the 

 great bends give place to rich alluvial flats, supporting a 

 forest of fair-sized balsam-spruce and poplar, and the 

 valley becomes so broad that the high banks are nowhere 

 observed. 



Having been occupied some time near Fort k la Corne 

 in making a transverse section of the river, ascertaining its 

 fall by leveling, and measuring its rate of current by log- 

 line (adopting the mean of a series of observations), it 

 was at a late hour when we got fairly under-weigh, and 

 we did not accomplish more than twenty-three miles 

 the first day. 



As the day began to wane we drew up our canoe on a 

 low boulder-promontory of this fast-flowing river, and 

 were soon reclining upon the polished and rounded pave- 

 ment, beside the ruddy and cheerful blaze of a fire of 

 driftwood. The stillness of night gradually crept on, until 

 nothing was heard but the rippling and surging of the 

 water over the smooth boulder-stones at our feet. The 

 Saskatchewan or " the river that runs swift" is truly well 

 named, for even upon the smoothest and deepest parts of 

 the river, long lines of bubbles and foam, ever speeding 

 swiftly but noiselessly by, serve to indicate the velocity 

 with which this mighty artery courses unceasingly on- 

 ward, swelhng as it goes, with the gatherings of its many 

 wide-spreading tributaries, to mingle its restless and muddy 

 waters in the Arctic seas. 



The second day of our journey (August 10th) we em- 

 barked at 6 a.m., and passed during the day the " Big 

 Birch Islands," and many others ; they are all alluvial 

 deposits, and some of them are overflowed in spring. 

 The banks of the river are now quite low, and the coun- 

 try on either side is very flat ; but it still continues well 

 adapted for agricultural purposes and settlement, the soil 



